Light in the Dark
by Kath3rin
Summary: A dark large vehicle sped past the welcome sign of Beacon Hills, the headlights lighting up the road. It was well into the night, all the passengers alseep in their seats. Tired of waiting, they left New York.


A dark large vehicle sped past the welcome sign of Beacon Hills, the headlights lighting up the road. It was well into the night, all the passengers alseep in their seats.

Freyja Hale was sick of waiting for answers.

She locked up the New York apartment and packed up her kids to drive across country to find her husband and sister-in-law.

She parked in the parking lot of a motel, opening her car door, the lights flicked on, waking up the three children in the back.

"Mom~ Where are we?" The eldest asked. Ylva Hale was the oldest at 5 years old. Her younger sister is Ragna, at age 4, and the youngest, Hammond, at age 2. Ragna and Hammond are still rubbing at their eyea and trying to fall back asleep as Ylva whines to their mother.

"We just got to Daddy's hometown. We're gonna sleep here tonight, then look for in the morning. A little scavenger hunt." Freyja unbuckles Ylva first, then unbuckles Hammond and picks him up as Ylva helps Ragna unbuckle. Ylva and Ragna hold hands as they jump out of the car, Ragna stumbling.

The four walk into the lobby and rent a room for the night. The motel is old, and the rooms show it. Shag carpet, crumbling wall paper, moldy tile and a sinking bath tub. Freyja vows not to spend a second too long at this motel. There are two twin sized beds with thick burnt orange blankets, and paisley yellow sheets.

Freyja runs back to the car to grab the toiletry bag, leaving the girls in charge. Freyja helps Ylva, Ragna, and Hammond change into their pajamas and brush their teeth. She brushes Ragna's long hair as she brushes her teeth. Freyja tucks the girls together in the twin bed farthest away from the door, and tucks Hammond on the side of the twin bed closest to the door by the girls.

Freyja brushes her hair, teeth, changes into her own pajamas, then tucks herself into bed closest to the door, spooning and sheltering Hammond.

Freyja is woken at dawn by Ylva jumping on the tiny bed, bouncing Hammond while Ragna peaks from under her blankets.

"Enough. Come on, let's get dressed, comb your hair. You guys are all hungry right?"

"YES!" Ylva and Hammond shout, with Ragna barely making a sound but just as excited. They pile into the car and drive to the local diner. Not many people are out and about at this hour.

The diner only has a few truckers, cops, and hungover club-goers. They quickly grab a booth and look over the menu, Freyja reading it out loud for the kids.

"So, what are we feeling? Pancakes, French toast, or an omelette?"

"Pancakes!"

A waiter arrives, "What do y'all want to drink?"

"Coffee, black, and three kid sized milk. To eat, three silver dollar pancakes, one French toast, and a fruit salad. Thanks." Freyja ignored Ylva and Hammomd's protests.

"You two are drinking milk, or you're only eating the fruit. No pancakes." That got them to get quiet quick.

"Are we going to the big house first to look for Daddy," Ragna asked. "Don't worry about it, sweetheart. Daddy will find us first." Freyja reassured her.

They eat their breakfast, and wander the town.

They pass by the police department, when Ylva tugs on Freyja's hand, "He was there, I can smell him! He was in there!" Ylva was excited, tugging on her mother's hand, jumping in place. Ragna smiled and laughed, while Hammond, on Freyja's hip, laughed and kicked his little feet while clapping his hands.

"What are you doing here Freyja?"

Derek was stunned to see his wife and children after leaving the police station. He was just released after being cleared for the murder of his older sister, Laura Hale.

* * *

He met Freyja Hvitserksdottir in New York, at university. She had emigrated to America from Iceland. Freyja had long white blonde hair, light blue almost purple eyes, long thin pale legs, a comely chest, and she stood at level with his chin.

She was just leaving class when they literally ran into each other. He was still hurting over the death of his family, so he brushes her off, leaving her on the floor. He didn't think about her again for almost three weeks, when with Laura they heard a scream.

Down the block, there was a hit and run. A red escalade hit a night jogger and left them there. Derek recognized her, Freyja, as that girl he ran into a while back. Laura tried to stop the bleeding, but it just rushed out of Freyja's side and through Laura's fingers. Desperate, Laura asks Freyja, "Do you want to live?" Gasping, Freyja barely has the strength to nod her head.

Laura Hale saved her life that night by giving her the bite.

Derek and Laura try their best to help her understand her newfound lycanthropy, and prepare her for hunters. It is difficult for Freyja to find control and balance through her more powerful anger. Laura focuses teaching Freyja yoga and meditation, while Derek wants her to embrace her anger and focus it on becoming stronger. Derek drills in everything the Hale pack knows on hunters and their families, on staying a step ahead.

During the long nights, Derek and Freyja steadily become close. She starts to humanize him, and grieve properly for his lost family. To forgive himself, at least start to. He teaches her what he knows of American slang, and how to play basketball, and she teaches him Icelandic slurs and mythology.

A year passes by with the three of them. During that time, Freyja drops out of university, still struggling to keep in control around other humans. Derek has become her anchor; his eyes.

Somewhere along the way, Derek and Freyja's relationship shifts from packmates to friends to lovers.

On the anniversary of their first meeting, Derek asks Freyja to marry him. Overjoyed, she throws her arms around him, crying "Yes!"

They are a pack, and now family.


End file.
